The Good Husband
by CharlotteL
Summary: AU story. What if the tables were turned and Will was the wronged spouse starting over at a new law firm? Will and Alicia meet years after Georgetown and their unrequited love causes them a few problems.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: What if the tables were turned and Will was the wronged spouse starting over at a new law firm? Not sure if this will be a one-shot chapter. Let me know what you think.**

Two young wannabe lawyers met at Georgetown Law School and became friends. They shared parties, late-night study and mid-terms together, falling into a happy friendship. They didn't have a great love affair, but they did have a great love for each other although, ultimately, they didn't share their growing feelings with each other and their love remained, unrequited.

After Law School, they drifted apart.

Will Gardner married within a year of graduating. His wife, Jennifer, became a successful cardiac surgeon. They had two children and lived in Washington D.C. before a scandal forced them to leave the city and move to Chicago. Will suddenly found himself a stay-at-home dad as he looked for a new position.

Alicia Cavanaugh also walked down the aisle. She said "yes" to fellow lawyer and future politician, Peter Florrick, two years after Will said "I do." However, her story didn't have a happy ending and within seven years they were divorced.

Chicago, Fall 2009

Alicia Florrick sat at her desk at Stern, Lockhart and Lee. She was an equity partner and one of the top litigators at the Chicago firm. She was happy: she enjoyed her work and enjoyed the single life. After all, you didn't get to the top without making sacrifices. She looked up from her computer and saw a familiar face walk past her office: Will Gardner, now that was a blast from the past. She smiled to herself and shook her head, wondering what he was doing at her firm. She stood up and left her office in the direction he went. Smiling, she saw him fiddling with his cell phone, stood in front of the elevator.

"Will Gardner," she said, her tone light and inviting, "what brings you to the windy city?"

Will spun round, a broad smile crossing his face, "Alicia," he replied, "you work here?"

"Yeah, litigation. Been here for six years now," she answered.

"Wow, it's a good firm," he commented.

"It is," she nodded, "so, are you here for depositions?"

"No, no," he held up his hand, looking a little embarrassed, "I was interviewing for a new job with Diane Lockhart."

"Oh," Alicia was a little taken aback, "I thought you were a partner back in Baltimore," she questioned.

"I was, but," he paused, fiddling with his cell, "things change," he made a grimacing face, "and we moved to Chicago."

Alicia smiled at him, aware that it might be a sore spot she changed the subject. "How's married life?" she asked.

"Not great," he said shaking his head. "We've grown apart, I think that is what people say," he bobbed his head and gave a half smile at Alicia.

"I'm sorry," she replied, looking down at her feet.

"Yeah, so am I," he sighed biting his lip. "I should go," he replied, pushing the elevator call button.

"Yeah, me too. Good luck."

"Thanks," he smiled at her as he got into the elevator car.

"Will," Alicia called after him. Hearing her voice sent a bolt of lightening through him and he furtively pressed the button to keep the elevator doors open. She stepped into the elevator with him and the doors closed behind her. "Alicia," he said teasingly leaning towards her.

"Do you want to go for a drink sometime, catch up?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Yes, I would like that."

Alicia nodded, "Well, you know where I am, can I get your number?"

"I haven't got a card, so, here," he grabbed her hand and she giggled as he wrote his number on it. "What are you in, the fifth grade?" she laughed at him.

"I'm resourceful," he commented, buttoning his suit jacket.

"I remember," she smirked at him.

….

Later that week, they met up for a drink.

"So, to our newest litigator," Alicia smiled at Will as she raised her glass. He clinked his glass to hers, "To old friends," he smiled back.

"I can't believe you're in Chicago," she began, "how did you end up here?"

"Well, you know I married Jennifer right after she graduated from medical school and we just settled down in Washington. I became an associate at Osterman, Lee and Canfield, worked my way up to Head of Litigation and made partner. I was happy at work," he said, taking a drink of his scotch.

"But," Alicia pushed, sensing there was more to come.

"Yeah," he waved his hand at her with a knowing smile, "not so happy at home. Turns out my cardiac surgeon wife can mend hearts at work, but she sure as hell can break them at home," he added downing the rest of his scotch. "You want another?" he questioned. Alicia held her nearly full wine glass in front of him and said, "No, thanks, I'm good." With that, Will got up from the table to go to the bar.

When he returned, he settled himself across from her again, waved a finger before saying, "I don't need your pity," he smiled, "and," he paused, "I've done enough wallowing, not enough drinking though," he added, winking at her.

She laughed, remembering how easy it was to talk to him. "So, are you still together?"

"Yeah," he said, looking into his glass. As he swirled the amber liquid around he continued to tell his story to the woman he wished he'd married, "After I found out about Jenny's affair, I left her, for about three days," he scoffed, "moved into the Hyatt, but I missed the kids and, if I'm honest, I missed her."

Alicia nodded, "You have two kids?" she questioned.

"Yeah, two great kids," he smiled, "they are the reason we are still together. Catherine is nearly fourteen and Samuel just turned six."

"Wow! Big age difference!"

Will laughed, "Yeah," he held his hands up, "I admit, not my plan, but Jenny got pregnant soon after we married and then had to work her way through training and residencies to get up the ladder before we had a second. I didn't want Catherine to be an only child, so I went along with it and I'm so pleased, we did eventually have Sam, as he is fantastic. But," he cautioned, "it is very difficult juggling a teenage girl with a young boy – two very different personalities and energies!"

"I bet!" she agreed, "Peter and I didn't have kids, just didn't happen for us, then we parted. We're still friends though, just divorced. I'm grateful we don't hate each other," she smiled at Will, "it could have been a lot worse."

"How is the State's Attorney?" Will questioned.

"Fine, loving the job," she bobbed her head, "he's doing well, conviction rates are up."

"Good," he said, "from what I remember, he's a decent guy."

"Do you still love your wife?" Alicia asked. Will looked up, a little surprised. Alicia quickly withdrew her question, "I'm sorry Will, that's too personal, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, no," he sighed heavily, "don't worry about it," he said as he took a drink. "Truth is, I don't know," he looked directly at Alicia when he said it. "I still struggle to comprehend her affair, so I haven't even started on the concept of love. I just focus on the kids, especially Sam. He needs protecting and would be broken if we split up."

"What happened when you left, for the three days?"

"Jenny told the kids I'd gone away on business, not a complete lie I suppose."

"I don't want to pry, but do you know how long the affair lasted," she paused, "sorry no, what I mean is," she bit her lip, "can your relationship survive?"

Will leant back against chair, "I don't know if it will, or even if it can. She was sleeping with a colleague, a vascular surgeon, for, well," he sighed heavily and looked out towards the centre of the bar, "off and on, three years." Alicia's hand went to her mouth as noticed tears beginning to form in his eyes. She wished she could do something to take the pain away for him, like he had done so many times for her at Georgetown.

"Oh, God, that's awful."

"Yeah, and, on top of the affair with Geoff," he almost spat the name out, "she had been having random one-night stands."

Alicia's eyes closed slowly as she leant across the table and reached for his free hand. She let her thumb rub small circles across the top of his hand and instinctively he turned his hand over to grab hold of hers, squeezing it gently. "Thanks," he said quietly, "thanks for listening." Alicia smiled at him, "I'm always here for you."

They looked at each other and realised that the passion they felt for each other, almost twenty years earlier at Georgetown, was still smouldering. It was dangerous and perhaps something that would only become more perilous when Will started working at Stern, Lockhart and Lee.

…..

After they parted at the end of the evening, Alicia stood outside the bar waiting for her cab. She was surprised when Will came out of the door behind her, "I thought you already left," she said. "Bathroom," he replied.

"Will, it's been really good to talk tonight," she smiled at him.

"Yeah, been quite cathartic for me, the wronged husband," he chuckled.

"I can't believe that somebody would cheat on Mr Georgetown," Alicia replied, "I know I wouldn't," she added quietly.

"No, you wouldn't," he said. As the words left his mouth he closed the space between them and ran his right hand up her arm until it reached her neck. She felt her breathing quicken as he cupped her face in his hands. Before he leant in to kiss her, he closed his eyes and backed away, removing his hands, "Sorry, err, sorry Leesh, I should go," before walking briskly down the street.

"Will, wait!" she called after him, but he was gone. She sighed and shook her head, wondering what might have been.

 **A/N: OK, so not sure quite where I'm going with this – came to me when I was sick and couldn't update my other stories, I also thought I'd wait to update them until after the finale! Please review and let me know if I should continue.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! I decided to continue the story, so just a short update, from Will's perspective. It follows on directly from when he left Alicia outside the bar.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Will opened the door to his family's apartment. It was quiet and the hallway was lit by a single lamp. He realised that given the lateness of the hour his family would be in bed. He felt guilty for not being there to say goodnight to the kids, especially Sam, as he was still at an age when he enjoyed a bedtime story. He smiled to himself because Sam preferred Will read to him, as "Mom doesn't do the voices!" God, how he loved his little boy. That is not to say that he doesn't love his daughter to the same degree, but she is so much older and wiser. He only stayed with Jenny for the kids' sakes, but it was primarily for Sam. The boy was too young to understand why they had to really move to Chicago, but he had accepted moving states and moving schools with childish glee and enthusiasm. Will remembered that the kid was pretty excited to be able to go to a Cubs game with his dad and for Will, it was reciprocated. Since they had been in Chicago they had been to practically every game. Not having to work did have its benefits.

He dropped his keys into the bowl on the console table and walked through to the kitchen. He poured himself a whisky. He sighed as he looked around the apartment. Although comfortable, it wasn't the spacious family home they once inhabited in Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia. He missed their old house. They were renting while they searched for a house and he searched for a new job.

Although Will enjoyed looking after the kids, he wasn't really cut out for being Mister Mom and missed the cut and thrust of the courtroom. Agreeing to move to Chicago for the sake of his family was something he knew had to do, even if it meant he had to leave his law firm – all he had worked for since law school – and start afresh. Jenny had found a position at Harbor Hospital that prompted their move to Chicago. After a period of adjustment and settling the kids into new schools, Will had been searching for a new role. Going from a senior partner in one of Baltimore's most established firms to the bottom of the career ladder was not something he was relishing. It was a difficult job market to enter: the country was riding out a recession and although litigators were often in demand, it could be difficult to move state-to-state. Fortunately, Illinois had reciprocal arrangements regarding the Bar Exam, so he didn't have to sit it again.

He rubbed his hand across his face as he thought of what he had left behind. He missed his old law firm. He missed work. Thankfully, he would be returning to the courtroom the following week after being appointed as Stern, Lockhart and Lee's newest attorney. He bit his lip gently recalling who he would be working alongside.

As his thoughts turned to Alicia, he let out an audible sigh when he recalled how close he had come to kissing her. The urge to press his lips to hers had been overwhelming and, in order to protect his fragmented family and his own fractured heart, he had to leave; he had to run. Will Gardner was running scared. He was scared of opening up old wounds that had long been covered by a loose Band-Aid. What wasn't apparent to outsiders, or his own wife, was that those wounds weren't caused by Jenny's infidelity but by Alicia Cavanaugh all those years ago at Georgetown. Will leant back against the kitchen cabinet and downed the remainder of his whisky. He pushed himself away and, placing the glass in the sink, moved towards the refrigerator. He opened the door and pulled out salad, cheese, spreads etc. so that he could make his kids' school lunches.

…..

Twenty minutes later Will pushed open the door to his marital bedroom. He would prefer to sleep in the spare room, have his own space, but to keep up appearances he agreed to stay with Jenny. They were both concerned about what the kids would think if they woke up during the night to find Mom in bed alone. Will was adamant that he was only sleeping in the same bed as his wife. They hadn't been intimate since before the trial - since before he discovered his wife's duplicity.

He took off his tie and threw it over the chair by the bed. He quickly undressed to his boxers and undershirt and gently slipped into bed beside his wife. Jenny stirred and turned over, placing her arm across his chest. Will felt himself flinch at her touch and carefully moved her arm back to by her side. He moved further towards the edge of the mattress and closed his eyes. That night the images that ran through his mind weren't of his kids or baseball, but of a twenty-two year old in a red sundress who smiled at him across a crowded pool. That smile had so much power over him. He hoped it wouldn't get him into too much trouble.

 **A/N: So, this was Will reflecting a little on what had brought him to Chicago and Stern, Lockhart and Lee. I'll try to update soon. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! Sorry it took so long to update, I have been really busy as life and work interfered meaning I didn't have time for writing. This is just a short chapter to get the story going again.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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The following morning Will woke early; Jenny was asleep beside him and he couldn't hear anything from the kids. Will had slept well, better than he had done in a long time. He was surprised that he managed to sleep at all given the images and immoral thoughts that ran through his head. It had been a long time since his dreams were filled with Jenny. He tried to think of when he last thought of his wife in a romantic, sensual way. He wasn't even sure if it was after he'd become aware of her affair; maybe it was before. Having faced so much heartbreak during the proceeding eighteen months he had blocked out a lot of the happy memories as remembering happier times caused him so much pain.

As he lay in the dim morning light, waiting for the sun to fully rise and flood the bedroom with an amber glow, he only had thoughts of Alicia. She was as beautiful to him as she was at Law School. He could visualise her lips drawn wide in a contagious smile as she shook her head slightly, causing her light curls to bounce on her shoulders. He felt his face break into a small smile as he thought of his old friend and new colleague.

"Damn!" he thought to himself. He shouldn't have such thoughts about her. After all, she was his new _colleague_ and he was a _married_ man. Not a _happily_ married man, but a married one nonetheless.

He smiled to himself and enjoyed the few minutes of peace he managed to grab each morning. Before they moved to Chicago, he would be up and starting his morning ablutions as soon as he woke, but now he needed time to consider the day before the chaos of children, school, cooking and job-hunting begun. He now had an appreciation and understanding of what stay-at-home moms did all day – and it wasn't sitting on their couches watching _The Barefoot Contessa_! He never had a moment to himself. Despite his complaints to the contrary, he had secretly enjoyed the past few months being home and available for his kids. They had faced a lot of changes and having their dad there to guide them helped the difficult transition into Chicago. Nevertheless, he was itching to get back to work. The kids were settled and he needed something more challenging than the school run.

Eventually, he threw back the blankets and swung his legs round so that his feet touched the cool wood floor. He sighed as he placed his palms on his thighs and pushed himself up. Rubbing his hand across his face he padded out of the bedroom and down the hall to his kids' rooms.

….

After dropping the kids at school and running errands, he returned to the apartment laden down with groceries and carrying two suits that he had collected from the dry cleaners. He felt like he was sleepwalking as he went through the motions of putting the groceries away, finishing up the breakfast dishes and making himself a pot of coffee.

His mind drifted towards Alicia. Again. He furrowed his brow as he considered what to do. They had been friends at Georgetown and, apart from the odd acquaintance, she was the only person he actually knew in Chicago. Last night had been fun, almost too much fun, but it gave him hope of resurrecting their friendship, but also fear of reigniting the spark that existed between them. They would be working together so nothing could happen. He clung to that thought, as he knew if he kept it at the forefront of his mind he could quash any other long-held, potentially sexual, feelings. But, he did want to be her friend and he looked forward to seeing her again. He could conjure up her face in his mind in a second, just as he could all those years ago.

He reached into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out his cell phone. He tapped it gently against his chin as he considered if sending Alicia a message was a good idea. Whether it was part boredom, loneliness or a basic need to have her as his friend, he decided he would reach out. Hell, he thought to himself, he should have reached out years ago and not let the post-graduation euphoria and 'we'll stay in touch' promises be broken. On the other hand, Alicia could have contacted him; he had not strayed far from Georgetown and stayed in Baltimore so didn't exactly hide behind a white picket fence. Although, they did have a white picket fence in Herndon!

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, still unconvinced if he was taking a leap into a murky pool, after all, in some circles texting was very close to flirting; they didn't call it sexting for nothing! "No," he reassured himself, his contact and future relationship with Alicia would be platonic. They had been good friends in school and they could re-establish that friendship without taking it further. As his left hand kept reminding him, he was married and his children deserved a father that was faithful to their mother, despite his longing for love and intimacy – two elements that were now missing from his marriage. He typed a cheerful message asking if she had time for coffee. When there wasn't an immediate response, he thrust the cell back into his pocket and set about doing laundry.

…..

After lunch Will lay on the couch absentmindedly listening to the radio as he flipped his cell phone through his fingers. He laughed when The Who song _A Legal Matter_ came through the speakers. He sat up and pushed himself off the couch. Picking up his acoustic guitar from its stand in the corner of the room, he started to strum along to the song. He loved the song. It had been popular with his friends at Law School and he saw it as part of the soundtrack to his friendship with Alicia. He smiled as he recalled their late-night study sessions,

He heard his phone buzz, alerting him to an incoming text message. Will whipped his head towards the couch and stared at the phone. Of course, the message could be from anyone, but he hoped it was a reply from Alicia. He walked over to the couch, rested his guitar against the arm and picked up the device. He took a short intake of breath as he tapped the screen into life to read the message. He smiled and bobbed his head as the display confirmed the message was from Alicia.

 _Good Afternoon Mr Gardner. Yes, coffee would be good. I am just out of court. When are you free?_

The message was a bit more formal than his original text to her, but he realised that she probably wasn't thinking of him I quite the same way he was considering her. But, then again, maybe she was flirting a little, in a 'Happy Birthday Mr President' kind of way. He let out a short breath and shook his head, no, probably not. He was reading too much into a few words. Again. He sighed and considered how to respond. He typed a reply, then deleted it, then began again. Eventually he hit send.

 _I'm free now if you have time. Bet you killed it in court._

He wasn't happy with his response. God! He wiped his palm across his mouth, he felt like a pre-pubescent boy again, wondering what to say to girls! Since his late teens he hadn't really had a problem engaging with the opposite sex so it showed how easily, even after all these years, that Alicia could get inside his head and upset his usual balance. He shook his head, placed the cell phone on the couch next to him and stretched backwards, resting his head on the back cushion.

Alicia quickly replied to suggest the coffee shop across from the courthouse in half an hour. Will felt his heart quicken with anticipation as he typed a short, "OK," to confirm his attendance and the perspiration on his hands made his cell fall onto the wooden floor. He chuckled as he bent to scoop it back up on his way to fresh up.

Sitting on a bench in the cool courthouse building in downtown Chicago, Alicia Florrick bit her bottom lip as she wondered if meeting Will so soon was a good idea. She ran her finger across the screen and texted her assistant to say she wouldn't be back in the office that afternoon. Coffee couldn't take that long, could it?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews, I am pleased so many people are enjoying it. This chapter follows directly on from the last one and sets up their coffee meeting. I'm not totally happy with it, so please let me know what you think.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Will wiped his cell phone on his jeans, eager to remove any remaining perspiration. He shook his head and chuckled to himself as he walked through the bedroom door. He didn't have long before he had to leave to meet Alicia, so a shower was out of the question. However, a change of clothes would freshen him up sufficiently for coffee.

He didn't know why he was so nervous. After all, Alicia was an old friend and this was simply coffee by the courthouse. It wasn't anything more, yet he felt a little guilty for going out during the afternoon – ducking his 'Man About The House' duties for a quick java with a new colleague. He didn't know why he felt such self-reproach. Was it because he would be spending time with an attractive female other than his wife or was it because he wouldn't be home when the kids got back from school? He shook his head to try to remove the anxious thoughts from his mind as he scanned his wardrobe for a suitable shirt. He sighed and pushed the fingers of his right hand into his pocket. Looking at the options in front of him, he decided on a pale blue one and hung it on the outside of the closet.

He quickly disrobed, folding his jeans and placing them over the chair by the bed – ready to be put back on when he got home, as he couldn't make dinner in smart trousers and a dress shirt. Huh, he sighed to himself, who would have thought that this legal eagle was concerned over splashes and ketchup stains. Certainly not the young graduate student that first met Alicia Cavanaugh!

Moving quickly, he went into the en-suite bathroom, flicking on the switch light as he crossed the threshold. He brushed his teeth, splashed some water on his face and sprayed himself quite liberally with deodorant. Rubbing his palm across his chin he felt the stubble that highlighted the fact he didn't shave that morning. That was one benefit of not getting up at six to head to the office. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror as he remembered Alicia finding a little stubble sexy; she used to say it added to the ruggedly handsome baseball player persona he flaunted at Law School. He chuckled to his reflection as he continued to run his hand across his face. He decided to skip a shave and instead splashed some Serge Lutens' _Borneo 1834_ cologne on his face. He loved the warm, spicy scent but again, currently he didn't have need for it everyday.

Turning off the light as he returned to the bedroom, he grabbed a pair of freshly laundered suit pants from the dry cleaning bag he'd brought home earlier that day and slipped them on. As he fastened the fly he scanned the bedroom for a belt; he saw an old brown leather one hanging over the back of his bedside chair and leaned over to reach for it. He felt the soft calfskin in his hands and efficiently threaded it through the belt loops, taking care to slot the tang through the small loop at the fly to keep it in place. He slid his carefully chosen shirt off its hanger and put it on – recoiling a little at the coolness of the fabric.

Opening Jenny's closet, he took a long look at himself in the mirror on the back of the door – he was wearing a pair of navy wool pants and a pale blue long-sleeved shirt, with the top button undone. He looked smart, but, he sighed, was he trying too hard? Was he trying to look too business-like for a coffee shop, or was it simply that he could calm his nerves by wearing an outfit that had echoes of his office wear – effectively his armour?

His concerns were sufficient to change his mind and he unbuckled his belt, unzipped the pants and slid them off – creating a static charge that bristled as touched the hanger. He looked at himself again: he was wearing a shirt and boxers – Alicia would laugh if she knew how on edge he was over meeting her and how he had agonised over his outfit like the stereotypical woman ' _I have nothing to wear!_ '

He decided a casual, or at least a semi-casual outfit was better. He took a clean pair of jeans from his closet and put them on instead of the suit pants. Completing the outfit with a sports jacket, he grabbed his wallet, cell phone and keys and nodded at his appearance in the mirror – reassuring himself he was doing nothing wrong.

Before he exited the apartment, he left a quick note for Catherine saying where he had gone. He didn't think lying to his daughter was a good idea, so he simply told her he'd gone to meet a friend from Law School for coffee. He also promised he would be back in time for dinner – with a treat!

…

Alicia put her cell phone into her purse and smiled to herself in anticipation of meeting Will. She decided to go to the ladies room, as having spent the day in court she could do with freshening up a little. She couldn't do anything about her outfit, but brushing her hair and reapplying her lip colour would revitalise her.

As she walked towards the bathroom, the heels of her stiletto pumps clicked on the marble floor, causing many people gathered in the lobby to look in her direction – she simply smiled at them, rather than looking at the floor and quickening her pace as she usually did, just to get away from the glares. Today she enjoyed the attention the patent Christian Louboutins gained and she hoped the effect they had of drawing the eye to, and elongating, her slim legs would not be lost on Will Gardner. Even though she knew he was committed to his family, today she would enjoy flirting with him. What could be the harm in that, she asked herself as she pushed open the door to the ladies? A little fun for old times' sake, after all, she felt something last night outside the bar and, surely Will did too? As she walked into a cubicle and locked the door she remembered him cupping her face and stopping himself form leaning in to kiss her; her fingers darted to her lips and she felt the corners of her mouth turn up at the thought. It was wrong to have such feelings about a married colleague, unethical even, but Will wasn't just a future colleague, he was an old friend and somebody that she had been attracted to. No, she corrected herself, he was somebody she WAS attracted to.

….

Will smiled to himself at the good grace of finding a parking spot directly outside the courthouse - no chance of finding that on Monday morning! As he locked his car, he looked up at the Cook County courthouse and his smile widened – he was really looking forward to getting back into the courtroom.

Will waited for a Ford Ranger to pass then quickly crossed the road to the coffee shop. It was a small, independent café that he mused probably sold much better coffee than Starbucks. He chuckled quietly as a bell rung when he opened the door: old school charm. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he inhaled the wonderful concoction of freshly ground coffee beans as he scanned the room for Alicia. He smiled as he spotted her engrossed in a file at a table in the corner. He felt his heart quicken as he walked towards her, exciting his senses for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

….

Alicia had chosen a table that was out of the main thoroughfare through the café so they would have some privacy. Although they had nothing to hide, she did want to talk about what happened, or more correctly, what nearly happened last night; that could be awkward and she didn't want any of her colleagues or opponents to overhear their conversation.

From her vantage point she noticed Will walk through the café door; he was smiling and she felt her mouth turn up to reciprocate the sentiment. Not wanting him to find her eagerly awaiting him, she busied herself with the brief in front of her.

"Hey," Will said softly as he arrived at her table. Alicia looked up and smiled at him – her heart beating a little quicker in her chest too.

 **A/N: OK, so the next chapter will involve their conversation. What do you think they will talk about? Should they talk about what happened outside the bar?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again for all the follows and reviews. I'm slowly getting into this story. This chapter follows on directly from the previous one as Will approached Alicia in the coffee shop…**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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"Hey."

Alicia looked up at Will and smiled at him in return, "Hi," she said, shuffling her papers and closing the file on the table, "sorry, just catching up on my brief for tomorrow," she apologised, even though the file was more window-dressing to avoid looking too needy, or too eager, "please, sit," she gesticulated as she cleared the table.

Will tapped the back of the chair in front of him with his palm, "I'll get us some drinks. What would you like?"

"Coffee, thanks," she replied.

"Cream, no sweetener?" he asked.

Alicia chuckled, "You remember?"

"Of course," Will gave a little head tilt as he turned to walk towards the counter.

Alicia bit her bottom lip as she smiled watching Will weave his way through the tables to the counter to order their drinks. It was only then that she realised that it was years since she'd seen Will in jeans! He suited jeans – they evoked the youthful sportsman in him and she found herself thinking back to Law School and running her hand up his thigh, feeling the soft, warn, denim fabric, and teasing him ever-so gently. They were a staple of his, and any other student's, college wardrobe, so she saw them as part of him. She hadn't seen him post-graduation, so wasn't used to seeing him in suits, although she knew she would soon become familiar with his smart shirts and court attire. Of course he'd worn suits on occasion at college - how could she forget the mock trial! – but she didn't associate Will with a closely tailored Brioni or Martin Greenfield number. She looked down ever-so briefly at the table before returning her gaze to Will's back.

Will returned to the table carrying a tray with their coffees on and a cake he had picked out for Alicia. Alicia laughed as she saw him approach, as with no free hand, he grasped the bag of chips he had bought for himself in his mouth like a momma dog would carry her puppy. He put the tray down on the table and released the bag from his teeth, catching it in his left hand; Alicia smiled and shook her head. He quickly emptied the tray and put the cake down in front of her, she looked up a little confused, but with a smile on her face. "I saw they had strawberry cheesecake and remembered how much you used to like it, so thought you might be peckish after court," he clarified as he slid the tray between the table and the wall. "Thank you," Alicia said. She was hungry and the cheesecake was exactly the pick-me-up she needed.

Will took off his jacket and put it across the back of the chair as he sat down. "How was court?" he asked. He thought it was better to begin with a little small talk rather than, ' _Sorry I tried to kiss you last night_.' He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say, but pretending to be interested in her work was better than that, plus he wasn't totally sorry.

Alicia took a sip of her coffee and, still holding the mug in front of her, tapped her right forefinger on the side of the porcelain, "Not bad," she mused, bobbing her head from side to side a little, "I just need to keep my client under control. He is a little," she paused as she searched for the right term to describe him, " _unorthodox_ and has a habit of over-sharing," she grinned.

"Hmm," Will chuckled, "if you don't mind me asking, who's the client?"

Alicia put her mug down and picked up the fork in front of her. As she took a chunk of cheesecake on the fork she rolled her eyes and said, "Colin Sweeney," before placing the piece into her mouth.

Will was in the process of opening his bag of chips and stopped mid-pull, "Colin Sweeney?" he said quietly but with forceful surprise, "wife-murdering weirdo _Colin Sweeney?_ "

"Ooooh, yeah!" Alicia nodded, "and he is an alleged wife-murderer," she smiled.

"Still a weirdo though," Will added and Alicia chuckled as she speared another piece of cake.

"OK, so he's not guilty of uxoricide," he said as he returned his attention to the chips. He carefully split the bag down the back seam, to open out the packet into a flat 'plate' on the table. Taking one in his fingers, he asked, "So why are you in court then?"

"Sexual harassment. An employee has accused him of sexual harassment. I don't think she is the first and I guarantee in a few years more women will bring charges against him, eeewww," she gave a mock shiver at the last statement, which brought a laugh from Will.

"I guess you can't wait to get started on Monday," she said, continuing to eat the cake.

Will nodded and a broad smile crossed his face, "After being away for so long, yeah, I can't wait!" he said excitedly. "I'm a little cautious, not nervous, but just wary of what Jonas and Diane will be like and then trying to fit in," he took a drink of his coffee, "and don't forget, I'm not Head of Litigation anymore, I'm starting way down the pecking order!" He made a beak shape with his right hand, bringing his fingers together over his thumb and moving them quickly back and forth to simulate pecking. Alicia smiled at the gesture, "Yeah, guess that will be hard. I can't imagine beginning at a new firm, in a new city, so long after graduation, don't think I'm cut out for all that change. I respect you for doing it, for doing what is right for your family."

Will gave a weak smile and nodded, "Yeah, my family, my kids, come first."

"I guess that means Jennifer is a close second?"

"A distant second," he replied sadly, taking another chip from the packet. Alicia bobbed her head and pulled her mouth into a warm smile, as she leant across the table to rub his arm in a reassuring manner. He felt a warm sense rush through him as he felt her touch through the cotton of his shirt. He smiled back at her and placed his hand on top of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She closed her eyes slowly and took a moment to savour his touch, before opening them and focussing on her cake once more. Even though it was less than twenty-four hours since he last touched her, sending a frisson of sparks through her body, she felt giddy like it was the first time. Of course, it was a long time since they had been 'cosy' with each other, but seeing and spending time with Will again over the past few days, felt like old times; Alicia felt like he had never been away. She wondered how Will felt and, crucially, if he felt the same – the near kiss last night certainly sent the right kind of signals her way.

They talked happily about work, the office for a little while, with Alicia questioning why he wasn't worried about David Lee, but apparently Will had worked with him in the past and reassured her that David was a pussycat! Alicia found that hard to believe, but maybe there was more to the Head of Family Law.

After ordering more drinks and extra chips for Will, the conversation began to lull. Alicia felt it was her chance to talk about the previous night's events.

"Will," Alicia said quietly, putting down her mug, "about last night," she began, pausing as he raised his gaze from his coffee to meet her eyes, "what happened outside the bar," before she could finish the sentence, Will blurted out, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," as an apology. He expected she wanted an apology, or at least an explanation as to why he had appeared to want to kiss her then ran away. He was sorry if he gave her mixed signals and he was sorry for almost breaking a promise he made to himself about not breaking up his family. But, significantly, he wasn't sorry about wanting to kiss her. He'd wanted to kiss her many times over the years, but he'd not had the opportunity. He hated himself for letting her go at Georgetown, for falling in love with a young med student and leaving the nubile lawyer to the safe hands of Peter Florrick. He didn't resent Peter sweeping in like Flynn and wooing Alicia; he liked Peter and he had made Alicia happy, for a while. He was pleased that even though the Florricks had parted they had stayed friends – he wouldn't like to think of Alicia being unhappy.

"Oh," Alicia said, a little dejectedly. "Don't worry," she reassured him, "I wasn't upset, just a little confused."

Will nodded, "Yeah, I, I," he stumbled over his words, "I don't know what to say," he said honestly. "I was drawn to you and," he paused to make his point, "it wasn't the drink, in that moment I wanted to kiss you, but, I realised it was foolish and stopped myself," he said, looking down at his mug and swirling the remaining liquid round, so it splashed up the side of the porcelain.

Alicia smiled, "I would have been happy to be kissed by you. It's been a long time since I was decently kissed," she said, only half jokingly.

"Sorry," Will said, focussing on the chips again. They had been his distraction, his get out of jail card, something to look at when he didn't think he could bear to look at Alicia anymore without wanting to reach across the table, pull her close to him and touch her lips with his own. He missed the closeness of their college friendship and he missed the intimacy of his marriage. He needed one or the other; both together would cause him problems.

"Arghh, you got me all tied up in knots, Alicia," he smirked as he picked up another chip, "nothing kinky though," he winked at her, "I'm a married man!"

She laughed with him, pleased that he had broken the tension with a little humour, as was his way. She leant forward to pick a chip from his packet, "Cheeky!" he cautioned as she popped it into her mouth.

Alicia looked across the coffee shop and saw a familiar figure, "Ugh," she said, "don't look now, but Colin Sweeney just walked in." Will struggled not to look round and grinned at Alicia, "Want me to hide you?" he joked. She shook her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "Too late, he's seen me."

"Mrs Florrick," Sweeney purred, "how nice to see you here. I thought our paths wouldn't cross until tomorrow at noon, when we stand before the big bad judge again, but thankfully the stars have aligned and given us a few more moments of pleasure," he smiled at Alicia and then looked over at Will.

"Yes," Alicia began, "how _truly_ wonderful," she said sarcastically as she shook her head.

"And who is this charming man?" Sweeney asked, as he looked Will up and down.

"Will Gardner," Will said, proffering his hand to Alicia's client.

"Hope I haven't interrupted _une_ _liaison dangereuse,"_ Sweeney added, his eyes widening and the corner of his mouth turning up as he looked at Alicia.

"Will is soon to join the ranks at Stern, Lockhart and Lee. We will be working together," Alicia clarified.

"Hmmm," Sweeney added, a little suggestively. "So you belong to my lawyers, and, I see you belong to somebody else too," he said, noticing Will's wedding ring, "maybe we can work together too," he winked at the couple.

"Maybe," Alicia nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, Mr Sweeney," she said firmly, hoping he would leave them alone.

"Yes, I will bid you adieu, Mrs Florrick, until tomorrow," he smiled as he turned to walk away.

"Sorry about that," Alicia offered, "he's a nightmare!"

Will laughed and dropped another chip into his mouth.

 **.**

 **A/N: So, let me know what you think. They didn't have a complete heart-to-heart, but have begun to establish some feelings, some confused feelings on Will's part. Do you want them to develop their friendship further before exploring what could happen?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks again for all the follows and reviews.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Will chuckled and smiled to himself as he leant against his apartment door, pushing it closed. He held a cardboard box tied with a gold ribbon in his hands. The sound of the door closing filtered through the apartment and he heard the eager footsteps of his son running towards the entryway. "Dad!" he yelled in greeting with the excited fervour of a boy who had scored a homerun. "Hey, Sam," Will replied trying to keep the box horizontal, "how was school?" The small boy's face dropped, "It was OK," he said sadly, "football practice was cancelled 'cos the coach is sick, so I had to go to the library with Cathy," he added. "Sorry about that champ," Will said as he ran his hand through Sam's hair, messing it up and causing the boy to frown further and try to pat it back down, "maybe we can go to the park tomorrow and toss a football ourselves?"

"Yeah!" Sam brightened, "that would be cool, just you and me," he said proudly, leading Will to the kitchen. "What's in the box?"

"Treats for after dinner, but no peaking," Will said as he placed the box on the counter. "Where's Cath?"

"In her room," Sam replied, licking his lips in anticipation of the treats to come.

"Thanks," Will added, "go finish up your homework while I talk to her," he said as he headed towards his daughter's bedroom. Knocking on the door, he waited for a response that didn't come. He pushed the door open to find Cathy lying on her bed, headphones on listening to her iPod while studying a Biology textbook. She looked up as he walked in and nodded as she pressed pause on the large white device. "I'm back. I'm gonna get changed then start dinner. Do you fancy tacos? Sam suggested them this morning and we have all the ingredients," Will said.

Cathy nodded in agreement, "Yeah, sounds good. Can you make potato wedges too? The crispy ones you make?"

"Sure kiddo," Will smiled as he turned to leave.

"Where did you go? I thought you didn't start at work until Monday?" Cathy suddenly asked.

"Yeah, I don't officially start until then, but Alicia who I will be working with asked to meet up and I actually got to meet a client I'll probably be representing, so it was a useful afternoon."

"Okay," she nodded as she pressed play before hitting pause again, "Dad," she said in a more serious tone, causing Will's blood to run a little cold, "I'm pleased you are going back to work, you seem happier," she smiled. "Thanks," Will nodded as he left her to her schoolwork, pleased that their conversation ended there. He had flashes of Cathy asking who Alicia was and even though their relationship is innocent friendship, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt. He walked down to the master bedroom and closed the door.

After a quick change back into his jeans, Will was back in the kitchen, chopping onions and peppers, frying minced beef and seasoning everything to meet the exacting specifications of his kids. He prepped some salad and put guacamole and sour cream into dishes so they could help themselves. Sam helped by grating some cheddar cheese into a bowl to sprinkle onto the tacos, although Will laughed as he managed to get most of it on the table. He was in a good mood tonight and enjoyed pleasing his kids, so giving them their favourite dinner got the weekend off to a positive start.

When the food was ready, the happy threesome ate together, sharing stories of their day and plans for the weekend. Cathy had cheerleading practice and was going to the cinema with some friends on Saturday, while Will and Sam would play some football and watch sports on TV. It was at times like these that Will really loved being a parent. However, it was also at times like these that he could see himself as a single parent, especially as for the past eighteen months he had practically been one. Sometimes he thought it would have been for the best if he was single, divorced or, God-forgive him, widowed. But then, he thought about the real reason he hadn't divorced Jenny. It was to keep their family together, to provide stability and love for their kids. He realised he had zoned out of the conversation and rejoined as Sam teased his big sister over a boy from school.

…...

Alicia returned to her apartment, dropping her purse by the door as she closed it behind herself. Kicking off her heels she sighed a little, before a broad smile crossed her face at the thought of Will Gardner. Since he had walked into the office only a few days ago he had filled her thoughts, just as he had when they were students at Georgetown. She chuckled as she realised that although they clearly had unresolved feelings for each other, nothing would happen, at least not at the moment. Will had made it clear that his children came first and he was only interested in friendship.

Later that evening she found herself struggling to ignore her handsome new colleague. Sipping her wine as she flicked through the TV channels looking for something to watch, she toyed with the idea of sending Will a message. Her heart willed her to send a quick text saying it had been good to meet up that afternoon, but her head told her that it would be a foolish move, an action of a teenage spirit rather than a sensible, adult lawyer. She folded her legs up onto the couch and made herself more comfortable, pulling her wool cardigan closer around her body and holding her wine to her chest. Sighing, she pouted a little as she contemplated what to do. Taking a large gulp of wine she finally selected a police drama to watch.

…..

Across town, Will spent the evening making polite conversation with Jenny as she ate a late dinner while their kids watched TV in the adjacent room. At times he found it difficult to talk to her, to think of something new to say. She was busy with work and didn't seem particularly interested in his news. He wondered how interested she really was in him. He knew from recent experience that there was at least one woman in Chicago who was interested in him. Will cursed himself for even thinking that about Alicia and smiled at Jenny, "Want some wine?" as he got up from the table.

…..

Switching off the TV, Alicia moved from the sofa to take her empty glass into the kitchen. She put it down on the bench and contemplated whether to have another drink or simply go to sleep. She wasn't especially tired and it was Friday night so she didn't have to go into the office tomorrow. She smiled to herself as she poured another large glass of Malbec and placed the empty bottle into the recycling. Switching off the kitchen light, she took her refilled glass into the bedroom and sat it down on her nightstand. Her eyes fell on the pencil sketch of Healy Hall at Georgetown on the wall. She chuckled as she remembered late nights and early mornings on campus with Will. He was everywhere in her life at the moment, so why had he been absent for the past twenty years?

Alicia quickly undressed and put on silk pyjamas and a matching ruby robe. Sitting on the bed, she crossed her legs beneath her silky robe and fished her cell phone from her purse. She held the phone in her hand for a moment before throwing it down on the duvet, "Stupid!" she scolded herself as she reached for her wine.

….

Will sat back on the couch in the family room, his head resting on the back cushion as he listened half-heartedly to the late-night news. His mind was a mess of Alicia, Jenny and Colin Sweeney. He was excited about working with Alicia and even a little excited about the alleged wife-murderer! Jenny was a different issue. His thoughts this evening fell on how they had ended up in Chicago and her actions that led to the hospital investigation and subsequent trial. It was through the trial that he found out about her long-term affair. He let out a long breath and slowly closed his eyes. At that moment he heard the familiar beep of his cell phone to signify an incoming text message. He stretched out as he lunged his left hand into the front pocket of his jeans to retrieve the phone. Turning the device over in his hand, he chuckled at the ID of the sender: Alicia. Shaking his head, he read the message, _"Do you want to meet over the weekend to discuss Sweeney? A."_ Will ran his tongue across his bottom lip as he contemplated a response.

 **A/N: So this is a quick update. In chapters to come we find out exactly why Will moved to Chicago as their burgeoning friendship draws him closer to Alicia.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks again for all the follows and reviews. Sorry it has taken me so long to update – things got crazy and I didn't have any time.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Will couldn't disappoint Sam. The young boy was excited to spend some quality time with his Dad on Saturday. They would go to the park, play some ball before grabbing a burger together. Cathy had plans and was old enough to entertain herself, but as Will kept pointing out, not look after herself. Even though she was a teenager and in today's society, increasingly independent, she was still his little girl. Every time he looked at her he saw a three-year old stood on a chair baking cookies with her grandma, not the wise, soulful, but fiercely autonomous young woman she had become. He loved his children and they were his raison d'etre but work, the law, also got his juices flowing and he needed to get back into the legal world, and to converse on a daily basis with other rational adults. He stared at his cell before typing, _"That would be great. I'm busy tomorrow, how about Sunday?"_

.

Sunday night

Rock music played quietly in the background as Will sat on the sofa in the family room reading through his trial notes for the following day. He had met Alicia that afternoon to discuss strategy and plan for the potential responses of the untameable Mr Sweeney. He smiled to himself as he recalled her relaxed attire and matching attitude. Yes, she was determined in pursuit of the truth, in defence of the law, but as a friend, she was soft and gentle, funny and charming. When they met it was like the intervening years had melted away and they were students again. Back in Law School they had been close and Will hoped that they could reignite the same level of friendship. It wasn't just that he was attracted to Alicia, he was, but he needed a real friend: somebody who he could talk to and who would have his back. His thoughts were soon interrupted.

Cathy came up behind the sofa and said softy, "Dad," before sitting down on the opposite end of the sofa. Will looked at her and smiled, "Yes, sweetheart?" Cathy had placed herself with her back to the armrest, legs crossed in front of her on the cushions. She looked directly at Will and asked, very seriously, "Dad, are you and Mom going to split up?"

Will was taken aback. He realised his mouth was agape and he took a short, sharp, intake of breath. He shook his head and gave a half-smile, "No, no we're not, Cath," he said trying to reassure his daughter. "What made you ask?"

Cathy sighed as she looked down at her hands in her lap, her gaze moving towards Will's papers spread on the sofa. "Sarah's mom went back to work – she's a nurse – and her parents split up," she clarified, "you're going back to work and you and Mom haven't been exactly great together recently," she said hesitantly.

Will sighed and let out a long breath, before he responded, "Are you talking about the Delaneys back home?" Cathy nodded.

"Cath, Sarah's mom went back to nursing because she had to. Her husband left her and the kids and never came back, which is _not something your Mom or I will ever do, we love you kids too much_." He made sure he emphasised the last clause so that Cathy knew her family would always be there. Liz Delaney is a good woman, a good nurse, and doesn't deserve what happened to her. Her husband left her before she went back to work, it wasn't her going back to work that caused the marriage split. Don't worry 'bout our family. We'll be fine. Me going back to work is a good thing," he smiled at her.

Cathy looked up and smiled at her Dad, "And you seem happier now you are going back to work. Sarah's mom was a lot better when her Dad left, like she was free of him, and, well, I just drew comparisons."

"Oh, honey," he began, reaching out his left hand to take hers in his, "don't assume that what happened in your friend's family will happen to ours. The situations are very different. Very different."

Will put his notes on the floor and held his arms open towards his daughter. Cathy moved along the sofa and snuggled into her father's arms.

As he embraced his daughter, he felt her rest her head against his shoulder and he smiled. After a few seconds, this contentment was broken when Cathy asked, "Do you and Mom still love each other?"

Will was surprised by his eldest for the second time that evening, but needed to choose his words carefully. Truthfully, he was unsure whether he still loved Jenny, and he didn't really know where she stood on the matter. He needed to be honest with his children but didn't want to unduly worry them, so his response to Cathy was a little guarded. He gave his daughter a gentle squeeze, holding her close, and said, "Your Mom and I have been through some problems lately, but don't let that worry you, we are both here, for you and Sam, and we love our family very much so don't want anything to break it up." He wasn't sure if that was the right response, but it seemed to appease her. "I love you too, Daddy," she said as she kissed him on the cheek and bounced up to go to her room. Will gave a little sigh of relief that he had dodged a bullet, but knew that he couldn't keep covering up the truth forever. The reality was his marriage was over in all but name. While he couldn't be certain where his romantic feelings currently lay, he couldn't say truthfully that he still loved Jennifer. But, he was fairly certain she didn't love him.

.

Monday morning

Will let out a deep breath as he stretched his neck, turning his face upwards under the rainfall of water from the shower. His eyes were closed and he enjoyed the soft pounding of the warm liquid over his face and scalp for a minute as he contemplated the day to come. Shaking his head slightly as he returned to a more natural pose, he ran the flat palms of his hands across his face towards his nose, pushing the water from his eyes. A small smile crept across his face. Today he would begin work. Today would be the first time in over a year since he had been in a courtroom. Today he would sit beside Alicia and attempt to defend a psychotic pervert of a client. Today, he and Alicia would be a team.

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 **A/N: So this is a quick update to get back into the story... hope I can update sooner rather than later!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks again for keeping with me on this. I have had a really bad time over the last few months, so have not felt like being involved in FF, but now feel I have time to come back to my hobbies. This is just a very short chapter to get myself used to the characters again.**

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Across town, Alicia stepped out of her own shower, grabbed a fresh, white cotton towel from the chair beside the bath and wrapped it around her lithe, warm, damp body. She picked a smaller guest towel up and began to rub at her hair, beginning the long task of drying it. How she wished she was a man who could just shower, dress and be out the door in mere minutes. Her mind leapt to Will Gardner - he was that type of guy - he could leave his hair after a shower and be good to go. _Hmmm…_ she thought to herself, a shower-fresh Will would be a great morning pick-me-up, his tousled, wet hair could probably rouse any woman's passions, regardless of context.

As she continued to towel her hair she walked towards the counter. She noticed that the steamy heat from the shower had created a layer of condensation on the mirror above the hand basin. Ordinarily, she would wipe the mirror with either the flat of her hand or a towel, so she could see her reflection in the shimmering surface. Today, she felt like a giddy schoolgirl on the first back after the summer vacation. To befit the persona of a teenager in a short skirt and high spirits, she reached out her hand and, with her forefinger, drew a heart in the condensation. She smiled. She put her damp finger to her lips, running the moisture from the mirror along her bottom lip as she breathed deeply, her chest rising quickly as her heart began to race. The thoughts of Will Gardner that ran through her head were not what she should be thinking at this time of the morning, especially today when they had to stand together in court and defend (she chuckled) their client. She closed her eyes and shook her head as she laughed gently - their client would be most amused that his Lead Counsel was having improper thoughts about her Second Chair. Mr Sweeney was not the world's most straightforward character and he loved sandal. He revelled in it, enjoyed it, and would be thrilled to learn his legal team got thrills of their own from each other.

Alicia finished rubbing her hair with the towel and threw it into the hamper as she walked from her en-suite bathroom into her bedroom. Sitting down at her dressing table, still dressed in her towel, she picked up her hairdryer and began to dry her hair. She closed her eyes and rolled her head in small circles as the blast of hot air threw her hair out behind her and warmed her face. Once her hair was dried, she brushed it and curled it slightly to give it a little volume - almost in the style she had it in college. She smiled at the inadvertent blast from the past and wondered if Will would notice.

She applied her make-up, taking a little extra care this morning, both to appeal professional and to be a little more attractive than usual. She knew she was being a bit provocative and daring, but she fancied a little danger in her life at the moment, and, despite his denial the other evening, she was sure that Will Gardner did too.

…

Unplugging her cell phone from its charger, she sent Will a quick message.

" _You ready?"_ She typed, a smile crossing her face, as she looked forward to her first day in court with Will since their student days.

" _Always ready._ _Like a marine."_ Came the response. With that, she dropped her cell into her purse, grabbed her files for court and headed out the door.

Will chuckled to himself at his playful reply, as he tucked sandwiches, fruit and chips into boxes for his kids' lunches. He left the boxes on the kitchen counter along with a note for Cathy warning her he might be late home, as it was his first day back in court. He picked up his briefcase, took his overcoat from the back of a chair and opened the door to his apartment. "Good luck, Dad," Cathy shouted from her bedroom, "Thanks sweetheart, means a lot – been a while! Have a good day too. Let me know how your Math test goes." With that, he walked out the door filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement. Will Gardner felt like he was going on a first date.

 **A/N: Sorry it is short, will try to update quicker and shorter to keep the new momentum going. Best wishes.**


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